Ironically, it wasn't until Honor's 2008 birth that Alba embraced her sexuality. "I was quite shy with it," she admits. "It wasn't something I embraced until I had my daughter. I saw how incredible and amazing it is to be a woman and to be able to create a life. There's a reason why certain areas of the body are desirable –- because it all leads to reproduction."

Looking back, Alba has a sense of humor about being called a sex symbol. "According to some people, I peaked in my early 20s," she says with a chuckle. "I was like, 'Oh, really? I feel like I'm getting better.'"